


Progeny

by Arowen12



Series: Blood of the Covenant [4]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: AU of the AU, Casual Racism, Misogyny, Other, Period-Typical Racism, Racism, What if Jonah was Jon's father, because it's Jonah, he's still racist, technically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arowen12/pseuds/Arowen12
Summary: Progeny are interesting Jonah supposes. He’s never had the opportunity nor necessarily the desire to raise anything of his own, happy enough to shape the Institute and the Archivist to his will.It has its merits, children. One can raise them to think, to act, to be just like the parent, their wills are the parents.
Relationships: Elias Bouchard & Gertrude Robinson
Series: Blood of the Covenant [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750216
Comments: 12
Kudos: 140





	Progeny

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I'm here with the final part in this series. Though it's not really a part of the series, this more of an Au of the Au that I couldn't get out of my head. It's not technically canon within the series but it could be? I just never really addressed it. Also, warnings for Jonah being racist, misogynistic, and in general kind of a bad guy, I in no way condone or believe anything he believes. Anyway, read on and enjoy!

Gertrude Robinson, Jonah Magnus thinks, is already a write-off.

Oh sure, she’s been rather excellent so far at stopping other rituals, she’s cunning, ruthless, and most importantly curious. But for the Eye’s ritual? Well, to put it mildly, Gertrude has the weakest connection to the Eye he’s seen of all his Archivists.

It doesn’t bother Jonah too awfully; the ritual can wait even if some of the more western branches are itching for an attempt this time around. Still, Jonah has time, plenty of it.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t explore other options in the meantime.

Jonah has always been a dutiful servant of the Watcher, to his own ambitions of course, but since his youth, he has been utterly _curious_. He has spent countless hours learning all that he could. He has always wanted to know more, to see more.

Has that want come about in the desire to have knowledge over others? Perhaps.

He considers briefly, a union with another entity, while the Lukas’ family is useful enough as it is, perhaps the Web would be agreeable to something a bit more binding? But then again it is the Web, which in of itself is quite self-explanatory.

Jonah dismisses that idea leaning back in his office chair, the body of James Wright is getting old, there are lines on his face that he wants to pinch and smooth away, his bones ache with the familiarity of old age, his hands are stiff as he fills out sheet after sheet of paperwork. He has chosen his next host, young, almost too young, with no one who will miss him.

Once he longed to know more, to see all the world, immortality would see to that.

He glances at the photo framed on the desk, one Rosie framed for him, a distant sister who he never spoke to after taking this body, with her children.

Progeny are interesting Jonah supposes. He’s never had the opportunity nor necessarily the desire to raise anything of his own, happy enough to shape the Institute and the Archivist to his will. 

It has its merits, children. One can raise them to think, to act, to be just like the parent, their wills are the parents; the perfect tool.

Jonah tilts his head considering.

Gertrude will be the Archivist for a few years longer; she has been rather useful. Besides it is about time James Wright pass on, he could afford a little detour. If it all doesn’t pan out? Well, he has time after all.

He tells Rosie to schedule a call with the Lukas’ family doctor.

His temporary host is a dark-skinned man, no living family members, and a small apartment. From India Jonah suspects; he went to India once in his original body, he found it rather disappointing. He has never occupied a body of such a skin tone or ethnicity; it makes the readjustment all the stranger as he pads around with too long legs. The man, Siddharth something or other (it’s of little consequence to Jonah now) has a nice enough apartment and is of a pleasing enough appearance for this task.

Jonah supposes that in the changing times, as they are, it’s perhaps wise that he’s chosen, Elias Bouchard. It will be seen as what’s the word they’re using… progressive? Yes, progressive. Perhaps he might even choose a woman as his host next time. Or maybe perhaps not.

He prowls for a few weeks, hitting up dingy bars with piss poor beer and clubs with music that fills the air vibrating right down to his very bones; he feels his age in those moments. It almost reminds Jonah of nights at whatever bar they had chosen to discuss everything; sometimes he recalls all those who he’s known are mostly quite dead, it’s a strange thought.

The Watcher hums pleased as he tangles with women with dark eyes who feel watched, it laughs as he dances with women stitched perfectly together who need to be seen, to be known, and it is silent as some of the women are who hide from sight.

He remembers each name, each face, and will check to see if anything bears seed at a later date.

It is time for Elias Bouchard to receive a promotion.

(Jonah Magnus forgets one name, one face that had been vaguely familiar in the dingy bar but near unrecognisable with her hair down, he will not Know what comes of that one night and if he did… well things would be very different wouldn’t they?)

Elias Bouchard is a change to James, and to his temporary host, young, with a few silly tattoos, and just the type of impression that earns dubious looks from his fellows. Jonah does not particularly care even as he introduces himself to Gertrude once more, watches her keen eyes categorize him.

If she was only more connected to the Eye, she might but Know who he is. Ah well, at least under Gertrude’s gimlet eye no other ritual will succeed.

A few months after, when he’s finally settled into the body of Elias Bouchard with his bony elbows and the height difference, he checks on the women who he brought to his apartment. Of the many women, only three (four) began to grow with his seed, of those two received abortions (a distant part of him will mutter about how these things are simply not done).

Well, Jonah supposes at the very least it was an interesting experiment and may yet produce an interesting income.

Some months later, Gertrude is off in South America to stop one ritual or another and his child is born. He stops by the hospital and peers through the glass at it, small, with a scrunched-up face, also completely and utterly boring and normal. Also, so very fragile and rather messy.

Not even a touch of the Eye. A shame.

Perhaps, under Jonah’s careful tutelage the child could become _something_ but he was rather hoping for the Eye’s blessing in this matter. And really, he has better ways to spend his time than caring for an enfant, it’s the sort of long-term investment with little reward that Jonah has always been warned off of.

He sends the women a stipend, not much, his host didn’t own much and is rather unfortunately dead, and puts it behind him.

In the midst of the Dark’s ritual, one which will fail on its own, Jonah steps into the Archives. Gertrude faces him calmly, there is a pack of matches in one hand and jugs of gasoline sit like perched cats at her feet.

He supposes Gertrude was getting on in years and it is about time for the Eye to attempt its ritual.

She stares at him calmly, something that isn’t quite resignation in her eyes, maybe it is knowing, something that Jonah doesn’t know and he hates that. He raises the gun and for the first time sees a genuine flash of fear in Gertrude’s eyes as he unloads the gun, it’s almost satisfying though what she has to fear he’ll likely never know. Somewhere in the background, a tape recorder clicks off.

So, he is in need of a new Archivist.

Jonah considers the employees under his grasp, at first, he considers Sasha James, she is smart, cunning, qualified, and of course most importantly, curious (also something about being progressive). But then again, she is rather too qualified and too cunning for Jonah’s plans.

And he does have plans now.

Oh yes, if a ritual that summons one entity won’t work, then why not one that summons them all? The Archivist is the perfect tool for it.

He considers poor Martin, who is practically cloaked in the Lonely, who is nervous and bumbling, a low miasma of fear at all time. He would certainly attract quite a few avatars all on his own. But he doesn’t have the curiosity the Eye requires of the Archivist.

Then Jonah considers Jonathan ‘Jon’ Sims, who researches late into the night with no regard to his own well-being, few connections to the outside world, underqualified and so very curious, who is marked by both the Web and the End already. The Eye hums pleased in agreement and that is the decision made. Jonah has a feeling Jon will do very well.

Jon is the perfect Archivist.

Little regard for his own safety, consuming statement after statement, willingly putting himself in danger for the sake of others. The only pesky thing is that Jonah can no longer See into the Archives, but he supposes it is a small price to pay for a realised Archivist.

Jon is certainly far more connected to the Eye than Gertrude, or indeed any of the other Archivists Jonah has shaped. Already, compulsions trickle from his lips as easy as water flows, he Knows and draws on the power of the Eye with ease.

It is beautiful.

Jon handles Prentis well, pulling a statement from her to gain time for his assistants, and allowing himself to be marked is only the icing on the metaphorical cake. So, Jon challenges him at every turn, so he might hate Jonah. It’s of little consequence when he dances to his tune so wonderfully.

The marks follow one after another, the Desolation (after a politely worded request), the Spiral, the Stranger, the Hunt, the Buried, the Dark, the Slaughter.

Jon even stops the Unknowing though they both Know it is rather pointless. It garners interesting results at the least, that Sasha becomes an avatar of the Buried is a surprise, though not wholly an unwelcome one. It also gives Jonah the opportunity to finally deal with Leitner; it’s satisfying, a bit cathartic too.

In the aftermath, Jonah invites both Simon Fairchild and Peter Lukas to the Institute, he’ll admit to his waning patience when he is _so_ close to finally achieving the ritual, one which will succeed.

Jon, of course, let’s Simon mark him, though Jonah cannot see exactly what happens, it is enough to know that Jon is almost ready. His perfect Archivist.

He’ll admit to almost being worried when the Flesh invades the Archives and is subdued in a considerably quick manner but then to save Martin, of course, Jon steps in the way of injury and gains yet another mark.

Jonah knows they are plotting against him; he doesn’t need to see into the Archives to know that much. It’s a bit of a race really, but Jonah knows he will win, the ritual will succeed brought about by his Archivist.

Jon kills Peter, he feels a faint tinge of sadness at the loss but it is diminished in the face of his crowning success.

He calls to Jon and he answers, stepping into the Panopticon, marked by each of the entities in kind.

The gun is a bit of a surprise, as is the bullet that finds its way to his chest.

Then Jon mentions his mother and Jonah _knows_ , he knows that it is his son who stands in front of him, the creation of the Heart of the Institute and the Archivist, who has been marked in kind.

For a fraction of a second, he _sees_ what could have been. Long hours in his study as Jonathan consumes statement after statement, discussions over dinner of statements, pride in what he has shaped and created; he is already quite proud even with the bullet in his chest. Perhaps, Jon takes after his father even a little bit. 

Jonah opens his mouth to tell his child who he is, what they are, what they could be; rulers of a ruined world that sees all and knows all and watches all.

Then the bullet strikes him between the forehead.

Jonah feels the moment his eyes are placed into his original body by his son, for a moment, he _knows_ all and _sees_ all.

Then he crumples to dust.

It is a rather inglorious end.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoyed this quick little AU. It would have been really interesting if Jonah did remember Gertrude, like a weird custody battle. Anyways, comments are always appreciated, thank you!!


End file.
